Pozole Verde Recipe

Make the chicken stock

Place chicken thighs, quartered onion, 4 garlic cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, and 3 liters of water in a large stockpot. Bring to a gentle boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Skim foam that rises for the first 10 minutes. Simmer, partially covered, for 35–40 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.

Remove chicken pieces to a bowl and let cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into a clean container, pressing on solids to extract flavor. Reserve about 6 cups of clear broth for the soup and 1 cup for the salsa. Discard solids. When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and bones and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Taste the broth and adjust salt if necessary.

Roast tomatillos and chiles

Preheat broiler or use a hot cast-iron skillet. Arrange tomatillos (halved if large) and chiles on a baking sheet. Broil or roast, turning occasionally, until tomatillos are charred and softened and chiles blister, about 6–8 minutes total. Remove and let cool slightly.

Remove stems from chiles (leave seeds for more heat, remove for milder). In a blender, combine roasted tomatillos and chiles, 3 garlic cloves, chopped white onion, 1 cup reserved warm chicken broth, 2 cups cilantro (stems included), 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Blend until smooth and bright green. Taste and adjust salt or chiles. If sauce is too thick, add up to 2 tablespoons more broth to reach a pourable consistency.

Optional: For a deeper flavor, heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium and briefly cook the blended salsa 2–3 minutes, stirring, to mellow rawness. Cool slightly before adding to soup.

Assemble pozole

In the large clean pot, bring the reserved 6 cups of chicken stock to a simmer over medium heat. Add the drained hominy, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon salt. Let simmer gently for 10 minutes to heat the hominy and bloom the spices.

Stir in the green salsa a little at a time (start with half, taste, then add the rest) until the broth turns a vibrant green and is well mixed. Simmer the combined soup for another 10–12 minutes to marry flavors. If you cooked the salsa in a skillet, add it now and simmer.

Add shredded chicken to the pot and warm through 3–5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or a squeeze of lime if desired. If the soup is too thick, add up to 1 cup hot water or broth to reach preferred consistency.

Ladle pozole into bowls. Offer shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, chopped onion, chopped cilantro, avocado slices, lime wedges, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper on the side for guests to garnish their bowls to taste.

Serve hot with warm corn tortillas or tostadas. Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days; reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water or broth if needed.